If this is your first visit, be sure to
check out the FAQ by clicking the
link above. You may have to register
before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages,
select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

Michael Katsidis is trying to get back into championship form as he has not been the same since losing title bouts to Juan Manuel Marques and Robert Guerrero. The vacant World Boxing Union (German Version) light welterweight title is on the line on July 4 from the Rumours International, Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia as Michael Katsidis will face Graham Earl. Michael Katsidis opened as a -2000 favorite with the Boxing odds while Graham Earl was a +1100 dog.

Michael "The Great" Katsidis

The 33 year old Michael Katsidis stands at 5 feet 7 inches tall with a reach of 66 inches and fights out of an orthodox stance. Katsidis is a native of Australia where he still resides. He is the top ranked Australian and is ranked 119th in the world. Katsidis has a career record of 29 wins, 6 losses, and 0 draws. Out of Katsidis' 29 wins 24 have come by knockout while 2 out of his 6 losses have come by knockout. Katsidis is coming off a technical knockout win in the 3rd round of a scheduled 8 round bout against Eddy Comaro that took place on March 14, 2014 in Australia. Prior to that Katsidis lost 4 out of 5 bouts as he blew chances at winning the WBO lightweight and WBA world light weight titles after winning the interim WBO lightweight title in 2010.

Graham "The Duke" Earl

Graham Earl is 36 years of age and stands at 5 feet 5 and one half inches tall with an orthodox stance. He is a native and current resident of the United Kingdom. Earl has a career record of 26 wins, 4 losses, and 0 draws. Out of Earl's 26 wins, 12 have come by knockout while 3 out of his 4 losses were by knockout. Earl is coming off a PTS win over Karl Taylor in a 6 round bout that went the distance on June 28, 2009 in a bout that took place in the United Kingdom as Earl snapped a 3 bout losing streak with the win.

The Pick

We'll call for Katsidis based on the level of competition that he has fought heading into this bout!

Both men are definitely shop worn heading into this rematch. Earl has been off for five years and Katsidis had been off a couple years before coming back in March. I see Katsidis taking this one by knockout. Though ill advised, with the lack of names at Lightweight I do see Katsidis getting another decent opportunity in this comeback bid.

This can't be anything but brutal, Deep. And Bobcat, I agree that Katsidis will most likely win by KO--my thought is later rather than sooner.

As for a title shot, Arum can certainly get Katsidis rated, then land him a shot against his lightweight titlist, HBO's newest star, Terence Crawford. With the spin Arum is capable of putting on a fight, Arum can build this into something huge.

Especially in his new favorite place (next to Macau, of course), Omaha, Nebraska.

This can't be anything but brutal, Deep. And Bobcat, I agree that Katsidis will most likely win by KO--my thought is later rather than sooner.

As for a title shot, Arum can certainly get Katsidis rated, then land him a shot against his lightweight titlist, HBO's newest star, Terence Crawford. With the spin Arum is capable of putting on a fight, Arum can build this into something huge.

Especially in his new favorite place (next to Macau, of course), Omaha, Nebraska.

-Randy G.

That's definitely a possibility, Commish. Katsidis has a name and his style, even in his prime, is perfect for someone of Crawford's skill sets to look sensational against. Of course, Katsisdis is not anywhere near his prime anymore either.

Crawford really re-hydrated a lot for the Gamboa fight. He had to have been having some troubles making the weight. He may go to Arum and just say he can't get to 135 anymore. In which case, I think Arum then has him go for a 140 belt and face the winner of Jessie Vargas-Anton Novikov in Omaha later this year.

But if Crawford stays at 135 and Katsidis wins as we expect, then Katsidis name will get consideration along with a couple others (Ray Beltran, Juan Diaz and Hank Lundy) for Crawford's next defense.

I have been privileged to have been entertained by Michael Katsidis for close to a decade. The brazenly teak tough brawler has produced many rounds of edge of your seat excitement that few men are capable of providing.

The citizens of Thailand may have raised a shrine in his honor somewhere deep within his adopted homeland.

But I was hoping I didn't have to watch Katsidis endure copious amounts of punishment in another life or death encounter.

Katsidis even gets beat up when he wins .... He gets a black eye from just completing the ring walk.

Let's say he does win and gets an opportunity to fight Crawford. Who are they going to assign the task of delivering the Australian Flag along with his dog tags to his surviving wife in Thailand?

Katsidis versus Crawford would be a bigger massacre than the Alamo. Remember that? Worse than General Custer's defeat at Little Bighorn.

They would have to change the rating to XXX for carnage and station a medical triage team in the isleway leading to the ring. Along with a team of paramedics to treat the Triage team if they can't handle the violence and gore.

Katsidis is done st the top level. I hope he can find a way to maximize and invest his income so he can simply walk away with full honors.

The "Alamo" and "Little Bighorn" were terrifying arse thrashings. None the less, true da if K Man ever encounter T-Craw, that is .what he will get a terrifying arse thrashing, but hopefully a big check he will be cashing -- or at least his wife will. Holla!

I have been privileged to have been entertained by Michael Katsidis for close to a decade. The brazenly teak tough brawler has produced many rounds of edge of your seat excitement that few men are capable of entertaining.

The citizens of Thailand may have raised a shrine in his honor somewhere deep within his adopted homeland.

But I was hoping I didn't have to watch Katsidis endure copious amounts of punishment in another life or death encounter.

Absolutely. Katsidis limitations and his huge sisu has virtually guaranteed him some cognitive problems waiting down the line. He's the epitome of a fighter you never wants to hang them up at the same time you hope he'll never fight again.

The citizens of Thailand aren't the only ones that should raise that shrine. We should all do it.

Absolutely. Katsidis limitations and his huge sisu has virtually guaranteed him some cognitive problems waiting down the line. He's the epitome of a fighter you never wants to hang them up at the same time you hope he'll never fight again.

The citizens of Thailand aren't the only ones that should raise that shrine. We should all do it.